Leicester, UK 29 Jun (ANA) - Leicester’s mayor has said the current lockdown restrictions could stay in place for another two weeks past July 4. Sir Peter Soulsby hit out at the ‘intensely frustrating’ information he has received from the Government over the city potentially becoming the UK’s first local lockdown following a surge in cases. The Sunday Times reported the Government was preparing to impose restrictions on Leicester ‘within days’, which Home Secretary Priti Patel later said was ‘accurate’. She told the BBC: ‘There will be support going into Leicester and in fact the Health Secretary was in touch with many of us over the weekend explaining some of the measures, the support on testing, resources that will go into the local authority as well.’

But Sir Peter, who said he was only sent the Leicester report at 1am this morning, revealed it is ‘not a return to lockdown’, adding: ‘It seems that what they’re suggesting is that we continue the present level of restriction for a further two weeks beyond July 4.

‘I’ve looked at this report and frankly it’s obviously been cobbled together very hastily. It’s superficial and its description of Leicester is inaccurate and certainly it does not provide us with the information we need if we are to remain restricted for two weeks longer than the rest of the country.’ The Labour mayor said the city needs more coronavirus testing data before any further lockdown is enforced. He said the information was ‘key to determining what intervention is needed’ to respond to a recent surge in Covid-19 cases.(ANA)

FA/ANA/29 June 2020----